Felix Tshisekedi took on Wednesday, August 17, the head of the Southern African Development Community (SADC). The Congolese President took over from Lazarus McCarthy Chakwera, the President of Malawi, during the 42nd Ordinary Summit of SADC Heads of State and Government in Kinshasa. During the event, the dissensions between the DRC and Rwanda again emerged. Kinshasa still accuses Kigali of supporting the M23.
With our correspondent in Kinshasa, Patient Ligodi
In front of the ten heads of state who had made the trip to Kinshasa on Wednesday August 17, Félix Tshisekedi, the new president of SADC, had harsh words with regard to Rwanda : “ Allow me to thank our community, SADC, for its solidarity with the Congolese people at a time when our country is the victim of cowardly and barbaric aggression by its neighbor Rwanda. »
In his speech, the President of the DRC particularly thanked South Africa, Tanzania and Malawi whose troops are engaged, within the Monusco intervention brigade, to restore peace in the East in when the DRC is attacked by Rwanda. pic.twitter.com/JdJ92WavQC
– DRC Presidency ?? (@Presidence_RDC) August 17, 2022
While the contours of the regional force promised by the Community of East African States are not yet clearly defined, the Congolese president paid tribute to the soldiers of SADC member countries, who are part of the ” intervention brigade” of Monusco, deployed in eastern Congo.
” Our heartfelt thanks to the Republic of South Africa, the Republic of Malawi, the United Republic of Tanzania whose valiant soldiers share their fate with ours at the cost of the supreme sacrifice so that peace returns to the eastern part of our country He said in the presence of Tanzanian President Samia Suluhu Hassan and South African President Cyril Ramaphosa, among others.
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Some analysts and even some members of the opposition had criticized Félix Tshisekedi’s diplomacy, accusing him of having moved closer to the Community of East African States, somewhat neglecting the SADC allies. According to diplomatic sources, during bilateral exchanges and in session, Kinshasa tried to reassure its interlocutors in the southern African region and promised to engage more in regional integration.